Rooted firmly in the Trust’s core values of enabling every child and member of staff to flourish and succeed, the EmpowerED Project reflects Rise Multi Academy Trust’s commitment to innovation, equity and excellence in education. 

What is the EmpowerED Project? 

The EmpowerED Project is focused on one clear aim: to use technology to improve teaching and learning. 

Within Rise Multi Academy Trust, EmpowerED means technology in service of pedagogy. It is not about devices for devices sake; it is about strengthening classroom practice, advancing ambition and ensuring pupils have access to high-quality instruction. 

The initiative supports teaching and learning by: 

• Making high-quality instruction clearer 

• Increasing pupil thinking and engagement 

• Removing barriers to access 

• Strengthening feedback 

• Supporting adaptive teaching 

By carefully integrating technology into established pedagogical approaches, the Trust continues to build environments where both pupils and staff are empowered to succeed. 

Supporting the Trust’s Strategic Priorities 

The EmpowerED Project directly aligns with Rise Multi Academy Trust’s strategic priorities. It advances the Trust’s mission to ensure all pupils flourish and succeed by: 

• Promoting ambition and aspiration 

• Increasing equity of access to learning 

• Enhancing consistency and quality of instruction 

• Supporting staff development and professional growth 

Rise Multi Academy Trust is committed to nurturing both learners and educators, fostering a culture where innovation is encouraged and new projects are trialled thoughtfully and purposefully. 

Schools and Leadership 

The first phase of the EmpowerEd Project is being trialled at St Mary's CofE Primary School in Melton Mowbray, where teachers and school leaders are embedding education technology into daily classroom practice. As part of the trial, both staff and pupils will have access to iPads to support explanations, assessment and accessibility. Platforms such as Showbie - a secure classroom workflow and feedback platform that allows teachers to share resources, collect work, provide real-time feedback and communicate with pupils in one place - will be used to strengthen feedback, streamline workflow and improve communication between teachers and pupils. 

The project is being led by Trust staff in partnership with teachers and leaders at St Mary’s, ensuring it reflects the needs of pupils, staff and the wider community. 

The Trust is also working with leading education partners including Apple Education, Sync and Advanced IT Services. These partnerships provide expertise, training and strategic guidance to ensure the initiative is implemented safely, effectively and sustainably. 

Benefits for Pupils, Staff and Families 

The EmpowerED Project has been designed to support the whole school community. For pupils, it increases access to learning, strengthens feedback, develops responsible digital skills and enhances clarity and engagement in lessons. For teachers, it improves modelling, streamlines assessment, strengthens instructional clarity and supports adaptive teaching. Support staff gain clearer insight into pupil learning and better tools to remove barriers and promote inclusion, while families can feel confident that their children are developing essential modern skills in a safe and structured environment. 

Professional Development and Staff Support 

A key priority of the EmpowerED Project is ensuring that staff feel confident, supported and empowered. Professional development will be phased and ongoing, beginning with rollout training focused on classroom routines, safeguarding and core workflows. This will be followed by pedagogy-focused CPD demonstrating how technology can strengthen modelling, retrieval practice, feedback and adaptive teaching. By investing in staff development, Rise Multi Academy Trust ensures that innovation enhances - rather than replaces - high-quality teaching practice. 

Enabling Flourishing Across the Trust 

The launch of the EmpowerED Project marks another significant step in Rise Multi Academy Trust’s commitment to creating environments where both pupils and staff can thrive. 

By thoughtfully trialling new programmes and embracing purposeful innovation, the Trust continues to uphold its mission: to enable every member of its community to flourish, achieve and succeed. 

Further updates on the progress of the EmpowerED Project will be shared as the trial develops.